Glacier NP: Chances of getting FCFS Campground?

alexisc · 04-19-2017, 09:35 PM

Anyone have experience in the Summer of trying to get into one of the FCFS campsites in Glacier, like Apgar or Rising Sun? Wondering if I have a chance, how it works, how early I need to get there, etc. Cheers.

BTW, I'm driving a 24ft MH with a Jeep Wrangler toad.

spock123 · 04-20-2017, 03:02 PM

Call and find out. The sites are probably all booked by now but just call. Going into the sun road is nice, we were there 28 June last year. It sure was pretty. We stayed at Columbia Falls.

**bikendan** · 04-20-2017, 03:14 PM

I don't think that you can reserve sites at Apgar.
It's first come, first serve.
At least it was a few years ago.

aeblank · 04-20-2017, 03:18 PM

From what we saw last summer, everything fills up early. By 11 or noon, it was full. You can look on their website. Somehow it tells the time at which they were full.

GreenImp · 04-20-2017, 03:31 PM

Most of the campgrounds in GNP are first come, first served. As posted above, there is a table somewhere on the forest service's website that shows their best guess at when you can expect any particular campground to be full on any particular day.

Edit...I just looked again and the site seems to only list campground fill times by past history rather than a guess for future days. The guessing for expected fill times on the day you arrive is then your duty.

Here is a link to the history of Apgar (you should be able to get to the other CG's histories from here).

https://home.nps.gov/applications/gl...l.cfm?cg=Apgar

GreenImp · 04-20-2017, 03:46 PM

We're not fans of first come first serve...especially when its a multiple day drive to get there. We stayed at St. Mary because we could reserve it ahead of time. Unfortunately, we were evacuated due to the Rising Sun fire (2015). Wound up squeezing into the Walmart in Kalispell that night as there were no official accommodations to be found in the area.

Mountndream · 04-20-2017, 03:46 PM

3 years ago, if you weren't at Many glacier at 7am, you weren't getting a spot. there are even less spots for those who have 20+ ft campers

my advice is be at the campgrounds as soon as they open in order to get a spot. the fill up times posted by NPS include tents as well, you need a specific site that is much harder to get

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

I don't think that you can reserve sites at Apgar.
It's first come, first serve.
At least it was a few years ago.

Yep it is FCFS... that's the whole point of my post but the other guy must have missed that

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeblank

From what we saw last summer, everything fills up early. By 11 or noon, it was full. You can look on their website. Somehow it tells the time at which they were full.

I don't mind waking up at the crack of dawn. I usually do anyway to catch sunrise. Not sure how it works though... do you just line up outside until people start leaving or what?

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenImp

Most of the campgrounds in GNP are first come, first served. As posted above, there is a table somewhere on the forest service's website that shows their best guess at when you can expect any particular campground to be full on any particular day.

Edit...I just looked again and the site seems to only list campground fill times by past history rather than a guess for future days. The guessing for expected fill times on the day you arrive is then your duty.

Here is a link to the history of Apgar (you should be able to get to the other CG's histories from here).

https://home.nps.gov/applications/gl...l.cfm?cg=Apgar

Yep, checked that out. The problem is it's a general time for all sites and doesn't give me an idea for the sites big enough for my rig. Was hoping people who have taken motorhomes or trailers would share their experiences.

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountndream

3 years ago, if you weren't at Many glacier at 7am, you weren't getting a spot. there are even less spots for those who have 20+ ft campers

my advice is be at the campgrounds as soon as they open in order to get a spot. the fill up times posted by NPS include tents as well, you need a specific site that is much harder to get

I wouldn't even try Many Glacier for that reason. I'm ok getting to the campgrounds at dawn... just not sure how it all works and if you line up outside until people start leaving or if you walk around and ask people if they're leaving or if there's a ranger / host to help. Any idea?

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenImp

We're not fans of first come first serve...especially when its a multiple day drive to get there. We stayed at St. Mary because we could reserve it ahead of time. Unfortunately, we were evacuated due to the Rising Sun fire (2015). Wound up squeezing into the Walmart in Kalispell that night as there were no official accommodations to be found in the area.

The last time I stayed at St Mary (car camping in Aug 2014), the day after I left they evacuated the campground due to aggressive bear activity that apparently occurred the night I was there.

**bikendan** · 04-20-2017, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexisc

Yep it is FCFS... that's the whole point of my post but the other guy must have missed that

Never seen FCFS before.
I thought it was an acronym for the Forest Service.

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

Never seen FCFS before.
I thought it was an acronym for the Forest Service.

Oh haha... sorry I thought it was a common one

Igave · 04-20-2017, 09:21 PM

Call them for the straight of it. Glacier National Park has the numbers on their web site. I think Sprague or at least one of them does do recreation.gov at least to a limited degree. We've done both on the West Glacier side. The consolation is that there are private rv parks on both sides of the park that are available and close. Once you're set up, it's pretty well toad travel for anything of much size.

mogman · 04-20-2017, 09:49 PM

We stayed at Johnsons of St Mary, outside the park. The shuttle to the park picks up there.

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogman

We stayed at Johnsons of St Mary, outside the park. The shuttle to the park picks up there.

Is that a campground? I haven't come across that one in my searches.

alexisc · 04-20-2017, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Igave

Call them for the straight of it. Glacier National Park has the numbers on their web site. I think Sprague or at least one of them does do recreation.gov at least to a limited degree. We've done both on the West Glacier side. The consolation is that there are private rv parks on both sides of the park that are available and close. Once you're set up, it's pretty well toad travel for anything of much size.

It's fish creek that is reservable (I had June reservations here but had to change my plans). Sprague is FCFS, as is Apgar.

DrLewie · 04-21-2017, 01:52 PM

Even the private parks outside the NP fill up. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation where you can. There are some decent private parks close to GNP. It will cost more but, for me at least, its better than a Walmart parking lot.

Hi Rider · 04-21-2017, 01:56 PM

I live near GNP and was there several times last year. Always saw "Full" signs at the campgrounds. Park is gaining in popularity and has experienced a 10 percent increase in visitors each for the past three years. I'm sure you know there Is a KOA campground near both the east and west entrances of the park. Friends of mine stayed at private RV Parks at St. Mary and at East Glacier Park on one of my trips and were satisfied with both of the private RV spots. I now have a new Class C Forester and will be spending at lot more time in the park this year.

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